


Don't Leave Me Hanging

by tonysnxrk



Category: Black Panther (2018), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining T'Challa, Pining Tony Stark, Rhodey Needs Them To Get Their Shit Together, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, t'challa needs a hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 13:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8251136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonysnxrk/pseuds/tonysnxrk
Summary: T’Challa was having a bit of a problem.
It may not have been a massive problem, and in fact for other people it may not even be considered a problem at all but T’Challa wasn’t other people and so it was, indeed, a problem.
And that problem just happened to be the five foot eight inches of pure badass that called himself Iron Man. It wasn’t so much a problem of what he had done, however. It was more a problem of what he didn’t do. To T’Challa. That he did to everyone else.
But he digressed.





	

**Author's Note:**

> [Based off a concept of mine that I'm finally expanding into a proper fanfic](http://tonysnxrk.tumblr.com/post/149982303443/here-have-another-plot-bunny-that-ill-say-ill)
> 
> Not beta-read, any mistakes you find are my own.
> 
> Please enjoy! :D

T’Challa was having a bit of a problem.

It may not have been a massive problem, and in fact for other people it may not even be considered a problem at all but T’Challa wasn’t other people and so it was, indeed, a problem.

And that problem just happened to be the five foot eight inches of pure badass that called himself Iron Man. It wasn’t so much a problem of what he had done, however. It was more a problem of what he didn’t do. To T’Challa. That he did to everyone else.

But he digressed.

Physically affectionate. If you were to ask anyone on the streets to name a characteristic of Tony Stark, it would have been among the most frequently listed traits (not in those words, perhaps, but the sentiment remained the same). And those who lived in or frequently visited the Avenger’s Compound were among the few who knew just how fitting those words are. Rhodey had his theory, that Tony was making up for lost time and missed opportunities from his rather touch-deprived childhood. Judging from what little of his background T’Challa and the others had managed to glean from Tony himself, he found himself rather inclined to agree (T’Challa also found himself quite murderous and wishing to bring harm upon anyone and everyone who had ever harmed Tony Stark. But that was nothing a spar or, in extreme cases, a little Avril Lavigne couldn’t fix).

But no matter the reason, the fact remained: Tony loved affection. Leaning his head on someone’s lap or shoulder during Team Movie Night. Holding a team member’s hand or stroking their hair, or just talking to them in soft words if they ever found themselves consumed with distress, unable to continue through the tough days by themselves. Sitting on someone’s lap when he was tired and burying his face in their necks or chest, if there was a way for him to show his affection then Tony would do it.

T’Challa had found him the recipient of all these displays and more. When T’Challa has struggling to adapt and react to the cultures so separated from Wakanda’s own, Tony was there with a friendly hand on his shoulder and an insight on the inner machinations of the political landscape that was innumerable in its value. When T’Challa was suffering nightmares, be they of his father’s death or worries of failing his people, Tony would climb into his bed and press himself close, running his hands through T’Challa’s hair and allowing T’Challa to cling to him, staying until the sun had risen the next day.

But if there was one thing Tony especially loved, it was his platonic kisses. Kisses as a good morning gesture, as a sign of his relief after another hard battle, that today was another day with zero casualties among the team. Kisses after their debriefs with an official U.N. representative. Kisses when he knew someone needed it (and he always knew), kisses when someone may not have necessarily needed them, but would still appreciate it, kisses without any thought behind them, Tony was always kissing.

They were always in private, never out in public for fear of someone witnessing them and spreading malicious rumours about Tony going after the team in a sexually predator manner (Tony had once implied it had happened before. And although the public was much more receptive to Tony after his work with the Accords, there would always be those wishing to spread ill will). Pepper had once mentioned that Tony had used to always be this affectionate with people, but after his stint as a POW in Afghanistan and the betrayal of his godfather Obadiah Stane, he had become much more wary of expressing any sort of sentiment in front of people.

(T’Challa had just wished her gazed hadn’t continually drifted to him when she had stated all of this. If she was to realise the true extent of his anger over all the grievances that had been laid before Tony’s feet, then she might have also realised how deeply he felt for Tony. Although the two of him were now broken up, there was no denying the two cared for each other and when it came to defending the people she loved against those she considered a threat, Virginia Potts was a fierce woman indeed.)

And so, everyone who had ever been given a platonic kiss from Tony knew just how much it meant to him, how much  _they_ meant to him, for Tony to trust them enough to lay his soul bare for them for that brief moment. For Tony to trust them to that extent, after Afghanistan, Obadiah Stane, the Civil War… it was beyond words, that Tony would allow himself to feel comfortable enough around the team, even after so many people had thrown his love back in his face.

Or at least, T’Challa could only assume that was how it felt.

Because therein lay T’Challa’s problem.

Despite working with Tony with revisions for the Accords for over a year, months of business meetings and scheduled lunches, weeks of quiet, late night talks and confessions of past deeds and old regrets, weeks of them becoming closer, T’Challa had yet to actually receive a single kiss from Tony.

And it was driving him crazy.

It was only kisses that Tony seemed to withhold from T’Challa, as well. In every other way he was just as physically affectionate with T’Challa as he was the rest of the team yet for some reason, Tony remained unwilling to kiss him. T’Challa was unsure as to what it was that made him undeserving of Tony’s ultimate display of love and as such, uncertain as to how to fix the issue.

(When asked for her opinion, Shuri had just laughed at him. She cheerfully told him to get over his insecurities and just ask Tony out before walking out of the room, accepting Tony’s cheek kiss as he passed by to meet with T’Challa on the latest revision of the Accords. Considering the circumstances, T’Challa hadn’t thought the advice very helpful, but it was appreciated all the same.)

T’Challa, however, was the Black Panther. However deep his disappointment that Tony still thought him lesser than the other, he would not give up until he got the result he wished for. He would not rest until he gained what it was that he desired.

What he desired was Tony Stark.

And to catch his prey, first T’Challa had to  _hunt_.

* * *

 

 “Stop me if you’ve heard this already,” an amused voice spoke up from behind him. “But I’d like to think a king would be a little more straightforward in dealing with any international issues."

“Rhodey,” T’Challa said by way of greeting, taking in the sight of the man coming towards him. “It is good to see you moving around.” Rhodey looked down at the exoskeleton supporting his legs, giving them a brief, admiring glance before focusing his attention back onto T’Challa.

“No response to the ‘international issue’ bit?”

“There is no  _need_ to respond,” T’Challa stressed. “Because it is not an applicable term in this situation.”

T’Challa refused to rise to Rhodey’s bait.

“You don’t think so? You’re the king of a foreign nation, and you’ve been standing in front of Iron Man’s lab doors for half an hour now. If this isn’t an international issue it’s only because it’s upgraded to an international crisis.”

“Perhaps if you were to offer your assistance, then there would be no international crisis happening.”

T’Challa would rise a little to Rhodey’s bait.

Rhodey just kept watching T’Challa, looking as though T’Challa’s concerns were the funniest thing he’d seen all year.

And however frustrating his constant refusals to actually help T’Challa in gaining Tony’s trust (“Dude, just ask him to kiss you!” “No, I must be more diplomatic than that.” “ _Oh my god you’re hopeless._ ”), it was always good to see Rhodey in high spirits. Back when the Civil War had just ended, before the new-vengers had formed into the family they (mostly) were, the remaining three member of Team Iron Man had been broken shells of who they once were. Vision, unable to properly process his guilt and turbulent emotions had been unwilling to be around Rhodey, often drifting out of a room if Rhodey was to enter. Rhodey had to learn how to walk again, all the while dealing with his PTSD thanks to his fall and subsequent horrific landing in Leipzig. And Tony had to deal with the international media demanding answers that he was unable to give, while working to get rid of Ross and to continue revisions on the Accords, to make them more accessible and safer for those that it affected (T’Challa’s father the late King T’Chaka had done everything he could to make the Accords as equal as possible, but there could always be room for improvement).

And all three of them were connected through the betrayal of their former teammates, that Team Captain America would look at their suffering and consider their pain to be a worthy tradeoff. T’Challa might have been willing to let them stay in Wakanda as recompense for his actions against Sergeant Barnes, but never would he trust them. Not with his family, his friends, or his country.

Which was part of why it was so important to T’Challa that Tony kiss him. Feeling Tony’s lips pressed against his skin would be a wonderful bonus, but it was what it represented that T’Challa was truly after. For Tony, after everything he’d been through, to look at T’Challa as though he truly meant something to him. For Tony to consider them more than acquaintances, more than coworkers, more than friends.

As a family.

Okay, as more than family. In truth, T’Challa wanted nothing more than to sweep Tony off his feet and kiss him senseless, for Tony to trust his body to T’Challa and know that T’Challa would never hurt him, not in the ways that so many had before (Tiberius Stone and Sunset Bain were lucky Tony didn’t want them dead, or else they would have already faced an unfortunate demise. And not necessarily by T’Challa’s hands.)

But before anything along those lines could happen, T’Challa needed to get that kiss.

“...Do you often zone out like that?” Rhodey asked curiously. “Because by this point I’m kinda surprised Tony hasn’t come out to ask why you’ve just been standing there. Like a creeper.”

“That would be because Boss is still unaware of King T’Challa’s presence.” FRIDAY’s electronic voice answered before T’Challa had time to make a response, not that there was anything he could have said without sounding too indignant (He wasn’t a creeper. He was a  _hunter_.) “Boss has been working on another web shooter for Mr. Parker for the past five hours and as such I did not feel it wise to disrupt his momentum. It’s unlikely he’ll notice King T’Challa’s presence unless King T’Challa was to open the door and tell Boss himself.”

FRIDAY had definitely inherited her attitude from Tony.

“Five hours? You know, if there’s one thing you can say about Tony it’s that he’s dedicated,” Rhodey muttered with a shake of his head, a fond smile playing upon his lips.

(Personally, T’Challa thought Tony was many things, many wonderful things, several of which Rhodey may not entirely want to be privy to.)

“And you heard FRIDAY, it’s not like she’ll get any more subtle than that. If you’re so desperate for him to kiss you then just ask him to kiss you! You’re making this way more complicated than it needs to be.”

“Is that what you did?” T’Challa challenged. “You asked Tony to kiss you?”

“No,” said Rhodey, still amused. “But we all know that for Tony, you’re a special case.”

T’Challa fell silent, unsure how to take that statement. Special didn’t necessarily mean anything good.

Seeing T’Challa’s unwillingness to respond, Rhodey sighed. “Oblivious idiots, the both of you. You guys definitely deserve each other. If you don’t want to ask him to kiss you, then ask him  _why_ he hasn’t instead. You’ll find his reasoning to be pretty different from whatever it is you’ve cooked up in that royal brain of yours.”

“You give me all these hints but you refuse to directly help me approach Tony,” said T’Challa, a little frustrated. “It is difficult to accept this advice when I know you are being deliberately obtuse. What is it that stopping you from me the reasoning behind Tony’s actions?”

“Christ, I tell him to ask Tony to kiss him and he thinks I’m being  _subtle_ ,” Rhodey muttered under his breath. Then, louder, “C’mon, if you’re having so much trouble approaching Tony, then you can help me get some food into our favourite idiot.” Rhodey stepped forward but T’Challa gently gripped his arm, preventing him from entering Tony’s laboratory.

“Like FRIDAY said, perhaps interrupting Tony while he’s working may not be the best idea.” Rhodey looked bemused.

“Okay, now I  _know_ you’re messing with me. Do you know how many times I’ve gone down to Tony’s labs to find you and Tony doing nothing  _but_ talking? You’ve never seemed to have had any hesitation in interrupting him before.”

“That is different,” T’Challa immediately protested. “Tony was the one who invited me down to speak with him in all those moments. Unless there is a sufficient enough reason for me to take the initiative, I shall continue to let Tony set the terms of our interactions. I have no wish to make him uncomfortable around me.”

Nor did he have any wish to make Tony feel like T’Challa was pushing himself onto the other man. Disappointed as he was that Tony had yet to kiss him, T’Challa wasn’t going to be another bully in Tony’s life, asking more from him then he was willing to give. Tony was far too important to T’Challa to ever want to hurt him like that.

There was brief pause as Rhodey said nothing, only staring at T’Challa incredulously. Then, he groaned, dragging his hand down his face.

“I think I’ve just found the problem.” There was another pause. “...Yeah, I’ve attempted my good deed for the day,” Rhodey said abruptly. “FRIDAY called me down to force you into the lab but I see that’s not happening. Sorry, T’Challa, but you’re on your own. Good luck with Tony.”

“You truly enjoy making me work for this, yes?” T’Challa muttered at Rhodey. The other man looked slightly apologetic but mostly unrepentant (an interesting combination to behold). Rhodey patted T’Challa on the shoulder as he slowly made his way past, heading to the elevator where FRIDAY was holding the doors open for him.

“Believe me,” Rhodey called back. “It’s you and Tony that are making this difficult. Funny as this mutual pining thing the two have you have going on, it’s starting to get sad for everyone involved. But you know what? I kinda am. Tones’ my best friend. If you guys are going to make this hard then it’s my job to make you really work for him. But seriously,” he added as he reached the elevator and the doors began to close. “If you wait for him to take the initiative then you’ll be waiting forever. You need to make a move, T’Challa.”

And with that Rhodey was gone, the doors closed and the elevator moving before T’Challa could respond.

Mutual pining? What was Rhodey talking about? Maybe it was for the best that T’Challa was unwilling to take Rhodey’s advice, if he had misinterpreted the situation to that extent. Hesitating, T’Challa looked back at Tony’s lab doors before he too headed off, taking the stairs to the living room.

Tony was far too busy to deal with T’Challa currently. The Black Panther could hunt another day.

And as he walked away, he completely missed the doors opening behind him and Tony’s head sticking out, watching as T’Challa ascended up the stairs.

**Author's Note:**

> Reposting because the date of it being posted was the 4th? Weird. Is that related to it being a draft? Anyways, reposting to see if the date of it will be changed.
> 
> So yeah, I hope you enjoyed reading this :DD It'll probably be around 3 to 4 chapters I think? Who knows? NOT ME


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